L'Wren

/

The only celebrity I follow on Twitter has gone away. I am sad. I liked her style and designs.  

There is an occultation tonight; the asteroid Erigone will pass in front of one of the brightest stars in the sky: Regulus. I don't find this a coincidence. Regulus, among the four Royal stars, pertains to fame and honors, and Erigone, discovered on April 26, 1876, was named for one of the two Erigones in Greek mythology. The story of Erigone knocked me out of my seat: 

Erigone, in Greek mythology, daughter of Icarius, the hero of the Attic deme (township) of Icaria. Her father, who had been taught by the god Dionysus to make wine, gave some to several shepherds, who became intoxicated. Their companions, thinking they had been poisoned, killed Icarius and buried him under a tree. Erigone, guided by her dog Maera, found his grave and hanged herself on the tree. Maera jumped into a well and drowned. Dionysus sent a plague on the land, and all the maidens of Athens, in a fit of madness, hanged themselves. Icarius, Erigone, and Maera were set among the stars as Boötes (or Arcturus), Virgo, and Procyon (Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog); to propitiate Icarius and Erigone, the festival called Aiora (the Swing) was instituted. During this festival various small images (Latin oscilla) were swung from trees, and offerings of fruit were made.

This occultation will be visible to the naked eye, which is very rare, and will last for fourteen seconds. The "ground-track" (locations in which it can be seen) is a 67-mile wide path that runs from the north Atlantic, through the New York metropolitan area, and up into Canada. Again, no coincidence. This is the language of the stars.